In 2001, a drummer named Squeegee coined the name "Alan Cohen Experience", a moniker that Alan Cohen, member of the critically acclaimed band Family Junction, uses to this day to release his solo music. As the conductor, Alan Cohen leads his mighty Orchestra of Personality effortlessly through a diverse selection of musical genres and subject matter which Relix calls "an eclectic mix of funk, folk and psychedelia with intricate harmonies and textured acoustics."
A master of attention grabbing videos for several of his singles, "Elephant" clocks in at over 10,000 YouTube views, climbing each day since its debut in November 2008. Not only popular on the Internet, Cohen was recently featured on CNN's "This Week in Politics" and The Guardian for his tongue-in-cheek viral video, "The Obama Groove."
Fodder for these catchy videos, Alan writes and records concept albums while working seamlessly with outside collaborators and releasing free-form EP's mixing various styles and themes that explore a variety of subjects presenting historical and offbeat perspectives. Incorporating elements of his studio and video work, the live show creates a platform that showcases the individual and combined talents of Orchestra members.
Praised as "an accomplished record" by PopMatters, his self-titled EP released in late 2008 in a decided collaboration with Brooklyn Producer, Roger Greenawalt (The Pierces, Ben Kweller, Nils Lofgren). With a studio approach reminiscent of legendary band leaders Duke Ellington, Frank Zappa, and Steely Dan, the Alan Cohen Experience conducts a variety of studio musicians to help achieve his musical vision.
Cohen found himself again collaborating with Greenawalt on his upcoming EP, Eat the Peace, due out on Election Day (November 3rd) 2009. Featuring The Pierces’ Catherine Pierce on “Peace,” “Ranger Stranger” and “Truck Driver”, Eat the Peace encompasses a dose of a southern driven guitar rock, each song representing a fictional character with the exception of "Peace", which is a meditation on the coming and goings of war and peace, in a seemingly endless and infinite cycle.
Prior to the self titled EP, the Alan Cohen Experience released a self-produced project aptly named Revolutions. The debut concept album, inspired by a red Che Guevara t-shirt, highlights pop culture's perception of revolutionaries and revolutionary events. With his Orchestra of Personality, the Alan Cohen Experience brings to life the music of his songs and the concepts of his albums.
While constantly meeting new people and adding new members and talents to his Orchestra, the shows range from intimate performances with an acoustic guitar, to fully orchestrated events. Each show and each city features a unique combination of personalities and talents, often looking to the audience for his latest addition.
Already at work on his next concept album, a project inspired by Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time," watch for the Alan Cohen Experience as he brings his show to your city. Visit www.alancohenexperience.com for more information on shows and releases, and to watch his music videos by maverick director, Seth Kroll.
